


Questions, Tests, and Answers...OH MY!

by animefan021513



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: (in a way), Awkward Romance, Aziraphale is "just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing" (Good Omens), Concerned Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Was Raphael Before Falling (Good Omens), Crowley is Bad at Being a Demon (Good Omens), Crowley's Fall (Good Omens), Declarations Of Love, F/M, First Love, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love Confessions, Marriage Proposal, Married Life, Oh My God, Protective Crowley, Romance, Seraph Crowley (Good Omens), Stars, The Author Regrets Nothing, Worried Aziraphale (Good Omens), unpopular ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21845416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animefan021513/pseuds/animefan021513
Summary: The day was going great. It was going better than most of the days had, in fact. It was a few months after the Apocanope, and Crowley was enjoying his life. Then, Gabriel comes to Aziraphale's door and says that he, Aziraphale, and everyone involved in the executions are to meet in God's throne room, where no one had been, and they would all be questioned. The obvious first response is that they think will be executed, but what happens when that's not the case? What DOES happen in God's throne room? What secrets did Crowley have before his fall that he hadn't told anyone, not even Aziraphale? Read and Find out!
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley/God (Good Omens)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	Questions, Tests, and Answers...OH MY!

**Author's Note:**

> This was requested Anonymously, so please be kind if you leave a comment and remember this is a work of fanfiction! Thank you, and enjoy!

It was the middle of December, a few months after the Apocanope, and Crowley was quite enjoying his life. He let his hair grow out to just a little shorter than the length it had been when he met Aziraphale on the wall, but now it was in a ponytail most of the time and it was smoother, cleaner, and just a bit wavier while still being straight. It helped that Aziraphale commented on how nice, smooth, and beautiful it looked. Not only that, but as the months went on he continued to yell at his plants, relishing in their trembling. He also continued to drive his Bentley nearly past the sound barrier. If that wasn't great enough, he was finally able to spend time with his best friend without the threat of Heaven or Hell looming over either of them. He could drink with him peace, they could talk about anything they wanted, and they didn't have to have alternate meeting locations.

It was one such day while he sat in the backroom with Aziraphale, and he was just enjoying the warmth of the fire. "Crowley, might I ask you something?" The angel questioned with pure curiosity lacing his words.

"Not drunk enough for questions." Crowley muttered with closed eyes as the warmth seeped into his ancient bones. He didn't have a fireplace at his flat. He could remedy that in an instant, sure, but there was just something about Aziraphale's fireplace that seemed about as sentient as his Bentley. It was if the warmth coddled him in a way that, dare he think it, was nice.

"Oh, come now. There's no need to be so..." Aziraphale twirled his hand as he tried to search for the word, but despite not being drunk, the alcohol had already reached his mind. "...anyway, just...might I ask a question?"

"Sure!" Crowley smirked as he thought, _'Are we going to get into another discussion about dolphins?'_

"Thank you." Aziraphale replied politely as ever. "My question is...who WERE you. Before the fall I mean."

The questioned had Crowley sitting up from his spider-like position on the couch, choking on air and a little bit of wine that hadn't fully gone down his throat yet. "Wh-" He coughed some more, earning a concerned look from Aziraphale. "What are ya-" He coughed a few more times, still not calm from the air and the wine getting sucked down his throat without warning. Once he was calm, he took in a breath and let one out. "What are ya asking me that for?" He questioned with a concerned risen brow.

"Well, you know what I was...am...and what my job was, and I know who you are NOW, but I fell like there's an entire half of you that's missing. Well, at least for me. I um...probably should've asked if you even remember Heaven apart from being damned to Hell."

Crowley's jaw dropped just before he let out a scoff of disbelief. "Well! Don't mince the words, Angel! By all means! Don't hold back."

Aziraphale cringed slightly, realizing that his words may have been a bit harsh. "Sorry, Crowley, it's just...I know you as a demon, but I'm not aware of any of who you were before your fall. Would we have um...met? Did we know each other and I just don't remember? I know some angel's had their memories wiped as an act of mercy."

"No, your memory wasn't wiped." Crowley side as he laid back down on the soft, this time without a wine glass, and with an arm draped over his eyes. "We didn't know each other, and we would've never known each other if I hadn't fallen."

"What do you mean?" Aziraphale asked as he set his wine glass down.

"Rank wise, we would've never met."

"Ah, I see." Aziraphale hummed with a twinge of guilt.

"I doubt it." Crowley scoffed with a laugh. "But that's okay. What other questions do you have?"

"Well, I asked it. Who were you before you fell?"

Crowley let out a steadying sigh in a very difficult attempt to calm his nerves while he tried to find the best way to answer this huge ass question. "It's...complicated."

"I don't believe so. I think you're just making it complicated."

"Why do you ask me now? Why not a long time ago?"

"I was scared." Aziraphale shrugged as if it was supposed to be common knowledge, which, now that Crowley thought about it, it kind of was.

"Look...as much as I hate to admit it...who I was...is a bit of a sensitive subject for me. Pieces of my old self have bled through as the years passed, and I would rather they not hear that I'm alive, or that I've at the very least fallen."

"Wait...so...everyone thinks your dead?"

"Yes. Everyone thought I had died among the other millions and billions of angels that fell in The GREAT War. Well, I'm sure God knows I'm still alive, but I...It's just a sore spot. Even after six thousand years, I can still remember my wings burning away."

"Wait...but I've seen your wings. Only angels that are ranked Archangel and up have more than one set of wings."

"Yup." He said, enunciating the 'P' sound more clearly than the other letters.

"Oh...I thought...when you said we would've never met...that you meant..."

"No. That's why I said that I doubt you understood, but that's okay."

"So...will you tell me what rank you were?"

"Aziraphale." Crowley groaned. "Your my best friend, and I have NEVER, not ONCE lied to you, but there are just some things I don't want to talk about. I'll...maybe someday I can talk about my old life before falling, but...falling hurt more than any torture Hell has ever given to me."

"Hell tortured YOU!?" Aziraphale gasped with a horrified expression.

"Yeah, if they got bored they would pick a demon to torture since the worst they could do was discorporate each other and start over again. I was always the one that got picked, because EVERYONE wanted to have the job of tempting the first humans into sin or at the very least to go against God. Six thousand years, and they had ALWAYS held that against me."

"Crowley...I...I never..."

"I never intended on you knowing. It's Hell...what can ya do? At least I'm free now." At his word, there was a knock on the door, drawing them both out of the conversation entirely as they furrowed their brows before getting up to go to the door that definitely had a closed sign revealing itself to the public.

Aziraphale opened the door with Crowley right behind him, but who it revealed left much to be desired. "Archangel Gabriel." Aziraphale said with more venom than Crowley thought he was capable of. "What an unpleasant surprise. Go away, please."

"I can't." He grumbled. "As much as I would like to never see you or that...THING again, I have a message to deliver to the Serpent of Eden and to you as well." At this point, Gabriel's grumpy mug turned up in twisted delight. He pushed past Aziraphale, handing Crowley a envelope, with intricate glowing silver swirls. "It's from God. Apparently the two of you are to be summoned back to Heaven for her PERSONAL judgement. This is almost better than Holy Water and Hellfire. No one has seen her since the fall. Well, no one in Heaven or Hell anyway. You're to dress your best, I'm told, and be there as soon as possible. There is only one letter, but it has been blessed to the point where it will only show the individual message for both of you. See you at your definite execution. Oh, and Duke Hastur, Dagon, and Beelzebub will be there as well. I will be with Michael, Sandalphon, and Uriel. Bye." He grinned menacingly before he left, leaving Aziraphale and Crowley staring at the mysterious letter that was likely directly from God. Crowley let out a heavy sigh before opening it, ignoring Aziraphale's pleas, due to it being blessed, and he read his letter silently in his mind.

_I'm sure you're wondering what I could have to say to you after everything, and I'm sure you're furious with me for more than just the Apocalypse, but things must be addressed. Punishments must be had. No one will die or discorporate, I promise you, but I have grown tired. You likely know this, and I don't expect any pity. Especially from you, but I do require you and Aziraphale to be here with the Archangels, and the three demons. It has to do with executions, that is true, but you're just going to have to trust me. I know you. I know your heart. I know that trust is about as easy for you as it is for a HUMAN to create a REAL star, but try. Do not tell Aziraphale the contents of this letter. Much will be revealed when you make it here, but do try and dress nice. Perhaps in your original colors. No one will notice the coloring until I say something, so you don't need to worry about that._

"Great...it IS a summons." Crowley groaned before handing it to Aziraphale.

"What did it say?"

"I can't tell you. Said so in the letter."

"Oh." He breathed out, obviously disappointed, but then he read his own letter. "Strange...mine tells me to read it to you."

"Well, go on then."

"Right." He nodded.

_Principality Aziraphale, I'm sure your quite anxious about receiving a summons from me, and it's likely that Gabriel wasn't pleasant. I must speak with you both personally in front of those involved with the executions. It is the executions that I wish to discuss, among other things. Punishments must be given out. I'm sorry, but it's true. Dress as you are. Your outfit is perfectly fine, but keep close to Crowley. Read this letter to him, and he'll take care of whatever may happen to you in Heaven once the two of you get up here. You'll learn much more than you should about him, but it may be good for the both of you if you know who he was before he fell._

"What does she mean?" Aziraphale croaked out. "If we're just going to be executed, why bother allowing me to know more about you?"

"I dunno, Angel." Crowley shook his head. "But we better do what she says. She'll know if we try and skip out."

"Quite right." Aziraphale nodded. "What will you wear?"

Crowley gave a relenting smile before letting out a chuckle that seemed to feel the emotion of 'Irony' before snapping his fingers and changing his clothes like she asked. He now wore a white button up dress shirt, an emerald green dress vest, matching slacks and shoes, and he had a forest green tie just for a touch of darkness. "I'll wear this."

"My word! You actually look respectable!" Crowley smacked his arm light heartedly and they both laughed, partly in relief and partly in nerves. "Ready?" Aziraphale asked.

"No. Not by a long shot, and the worst part is, NO ONE would be able to help me feel any better about this no matter how hard they might try, but I'll go. I'll protect you, and we'll both get through this somehow. It's not like it's the end of the world."

"No..." Aziraphale chuckled lightly. "...that was months ago."

"Yeah, and this is worse." Crowley groaned. "Let's go."

Once they made it to Heaven, they were immediately met with flaming swords, two angels, two Principalities, and one Archangel. "Aziraphale, Snake, how good of you to join us." Gabriel smiled wickedly. "This way. I'll personally take you there myself. Everyone, thank you for greeting our guests."

The other angels dispersed with dark and amused chuckles while Aziraphale and Crowley followed after Gabriel. Their footsteps echoed in a colder manner than one's might in a cave by themselves. The white walls taunting both Crowley and Aziraphale for different reasons. For Crowley, it was because he remembered what Heaven used to look like and this wasn't it. He was shocked when he came here in Aziraphale's body. For Aziraphale, it was because he was quite certain that soon the whiteness and cleanliness would be stained with black and golden blood. "So, where to, exactly?" Crowley asked.

"Oh! It's truly a treat! No one has ever been there. Well, not to our knowledge, but no one has been allowed to be in there. It's her throne room."

"Wait, I thought angels went to her throne room all the time when they wanted to inquire about missions."

"No, they wouldn't go IN." Gabriel explained with a roll of his eyes. "They would be allowed to write a letter, send it through the door, and she would answer it with a letter or message of her own. No one has gone in the throne room. It's where we're all going to be."

Eventually they made it to the door of the throne room, where Archangels and demons alike were shaking with anticipation and delight at what they thought was going to happen. "It seems not even you can outrun God, Crowley." Beelzebub remarked with a cruel grimace. Crowley didn't say anything much to Aziraphale's surprise. "What, not gonna fight back with words? No passing remarks? No snide comments? No confident swagger?" Again, nothing, and Aziraphale was starting to get concerned, but then he felt a virtue. It wasn't coming from the Archangels or the less than pleasant demons. It was coming from Crowley, and it was the virtue of patience. As intrigued as he was, he didn't have time to ask about it when the door opened.

"Ah, good. You are all here." Came God's voice. "Come in, and demons, do not worry, my light will not hurt you this time."

"Yeah, this time." Hastur grumbled as they all walked into the throne room

Soon, all of them except Crowley were all in awe of it, but not for the reasons one might think. It was entirely different from the rest of Heaven. It was pitch black. However, that soon changed when the door closed. At the click of the door, everything in the throne room fell away such as the dresser, the writing desk, the actual throne, which, Aziraphale tilted his head at, because it resembled the one in Crowley's flat to an almost eerie degree. Once the room fell away, it was replaced with the universe, and soon they were all standing among the stars, but mostly above Earth and just next to the sun, but no one felt its heat. "As we're in here, I'm going to test you all in various subjects. This way, it may clear up a great deal of things about where each of you stand, and hopefully by the end of this the punishments I hand out will be graciously accepted."

"Will there be an execution?" Hastur asked with twisted joy.

"You will all find out by the end of this." She stated calmly. "Now, is everyone ready to begin?"

"No." Beelzebub answered honestly and professionally, much to everyone's surprise except God's. "I want to know if me or the other demons...even Crowley...pose a...risk to your tests? Will we discorporate or die?"

"No. You will not discorporate or die, but failure to cooperate and failure to be completely HONEST...will result in pain."

"Oh...goody." Dagon rolled her eyes. "I'm ready."

"READY!" Everyone else agreed.

"Good, now...first test, A question for each of you. A question that will be difficult, so take your time, but the first answer you give is the answer I will accept. If you are wrong there will be no repercussions except for a wounded ego. Lie to me, and you will feel pain. Is that understood?"

"YES, LORD!" They all answered with hints of fear in their voices.

"Good, now my question is...What was my first creation?"

"Light." Gabriel answered.

"Light." Sandalphon agreed.

"Light." Michael stated confidently.

"Light." Uriel breathed out.

"Nothing." Beelzebub answered, shocking the other two demons that accompanied her.

"A Seraph." Dagon answered as she still kept wide eyes on Beelzebub.

"A Seraph." Hastur copied honestly.

"Nothing." Aziraphale replied, surprising himself that he agreed with Beelzebub of all beings.

"Yourself, but as to how, that information is Ineffable and not for anyone but you to ever understand." Crowley answered calmly, immediately gaining widened eyes of curiosity and confusion from everyone, but God.

"Crowley is correct." She smiled kindly at him.

"Wait...really? How would he know that?" Beelzebub asked, her temper flaring just a bit.

"Much will be revealed at the end of this. I will ask questions, and I will test you, and you will answer and endure. I will not answer anyone's questions this time. My next question is...Who was the first Seraph?"

"Raphael." Michael, Uriel, Gabriel, and Sandalphon answered at the same time with looks of mourning, quickly followed by everyone else in the room with similar expressions. All except Crowley that is.

"Crowley? You haven't answered." God stated patiently.

"I tried to say the name, but I couldn't and I know what almost came out, so I stopped talking."

"Crowley, if you do not answer, you will be in pain. I will take it as a lie and you will be punished for not answering."

"I don't want to answer." Crowley whimpered slightly, causing everyone to gasp except God.

"I know you don't, but you must. The pain I will give you will be equivalent to that of Holy Water, just without the actual dying part. Final warning."

Crowley nodded his head slowly, placing his hands in his pockets while he lowered his head. "Me." He answered with a shaky breath.

"You arrogant little-!" Gabriel started, but was immediately stopped when God spoke once more.

"-You are all correct."

"What?" Gabriel whispered out as tears instantly started rushing down his face.

"He's..." Beelzebub started, but took the time to swallow a thick lump in her throat. "...He's wearing the right colors."

"B-But that can't be." Michael shook her head before walking up to face Crowley and look him in the eyes. "Y-You can't be...you couldn't have been..."

"And why not?" Crowley snapped. "Because you don't want to think that you poured a bath of Holy Water for a fallen Raphael to take a dip in?" Michael gasped in shock, and it honestly seemed as if she was about to be sick at the reminder. "If you want to test God, you go right ahead. I'm sure Beelzebub and them can tell you how well that goes. She's not lying, and these are HER questions and tests. If she says it's correct or wrong, you NEED to believe her."

"He's correct." God stated patiently. "I will not lie to any of you. He truly was Raphael before he fell."

"Crowley..." Aziraphale started with a shaky breath. "...you said...you said that we wouldn't have known each other due to rank. You were a Seraphim? You were also the Archangel Raphael?"

"Yes." Crowley answered as he turned to face Aziraphale entirely. "I was him. I was other things, too, but most commonly I was the healer and was supposed to be the leader of the Guardian Angels. I was supposed to handpick a large group of angels from every rank so that there would be a variety of understanding, but I didn't get that far. I fell soon enough."

"Next question, though it wasn't the one I WANTED to ask...Do you all accept that he was once Raphael?"

Everyone looked around at each other, slowly nodding their heads. "We accept." Gabriel answered slowly. "We just don't understand how you could make HIM fall."

"All will be answered in time." She promised. "Next I want each of you to create something for me."

"What?" Beelzebub asked with a wondrous glint in her eyes. "We're demons, we don't...you...you casted us out. We're not meant to create. We never were."

"No, I never told you that. The demons have created many things. Granted, they are used for torture and malice, but you've created. You even built an entire room in a day for Crowley's execution. You've created, and now I want you all to create something for me."

"What's the catch?" Hastur asked as he crossed his arms.

"It must be something that resembles what you honestly feel for me in your heart. Don't worry about offending me and don't worry about consequences. Instead of pain...if you lie about what you're building, it will crumble and we will all have to wait on you to finish. Use your powers, your hearts, your grace, and your souls and focus. You will not need to explain the creation to me, for I will feel it and understand it. First to preform will be Beelzebub."

Beelzebub nodded, and held out her hands with her eyes closed. Soon, light erupted in her hands and she began to manipulate its light, color, and shape until it formed a half stone heart with the other half made of feathers. "Here." She said as she handed it over.

God took it with a delighted smile. "Beautiful, Beelzebub. Thank you. I will treasure this."

"Y-Y-You're welcome." Beelzebub stuttered as a smile of surprise twitched onto her face.

"Next...Hastur."

It took him three tries before he finally gave up and nodded his head. "Fine." He muttered before creating an iridescent rose. "Here, you're beautiful. That's what I think and feel."

"Thank you, Hastur."

"Yeah." He grumbled, but there was also a smile on his face when she took it and placed it next to the heart that Beelzebub had made.

"Your turn now, Dagon." To everyone's surprise, except God's, Dagon rushed forward with an almost excited smile before she immediately created a light bulb that gave off light, but it also held a rough image of the earth in the middle of it while Heaven was at the top and Hell was obviously at the bottom. "Thank you. I see that you think I'm intelligent and that I have many ideas. Thank you." She set the light bulb next to Hastur and Beelzebub's creations. "Gabriel, you're up next."

"Right..." He breathed out before creating a miniature replica of a fireplace that actually worked and gave off warmth. "...here."

"Thank you." She grinned before setting it down. "Sandalphon?"

Sandalphon nodded before letting out a nervous sigh as he held his hands together like the humans did to pray. He then conjured a white scale, but it had a solid piece on one side of the scale. He handed it to her, bowing his head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She said as she took it from him. "I know that I can sometimes seem unjust, unfair, and as if I show favoritism to some of you, and I suppose in some ways it's true. Thank you for your honesty." She set it down with the others before looking to Uriel. "Uriel?"

She nodded her head and without hesitation, created a paint brush with an iridescent handle with the brushes made of miraculously flexible glass. "Here you are, Lord." She bowed her head as she gave it to her. The meaning was obvious and it caused everyone to nod their heads in agreement, even the demons.

"Thank you Uriel. Now, Michael, come forth."

"Of course, Lord." She nodded before creating a sword that held a strange blade. It was shaped normally, but one side was ebony black while the other was the purest white anyone had ever seen. The handle was so translucent it was almost invisible. "Strength in all things." She explained, knowing that she didn't have to.

"Remarkable craftsmanship. Thank you." God nodded her head as she took it. Then, she turned to face Aziraphale and gave him a soft smile. "Aziraphale?"

Aziraphale looked at Crowley for reassurance. Crowley placed a confident hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Go on, Aziraphale. You've seen the other gifts and representations. Trust me...mine is definitely going to be a bit more confusing than all of those combined. It'll be okay."

Aziraphale nodded his head, giving a silent thank you before producing a medium sized oval shaped mirror that floated in mid air. "A mirror?" Gabriel asked with confusion.

"In everything and everyone, God is reflected or shown in some small manner...like a reflection that reveals beauty or blemishes." Aziraphale explained before giving it to God.

"Stunning, Aziraphale, and a kind explanation." God congratulated. "Now, Crowley, your turn."

Everyone was on edge with anticipation at what the former Seraph would make, but they hadn't expected him to kneel with one arm resting regally on his knee as he bowed his head low. "My Lord, permission to be as I once was for this task?"

Everyone except God gasped in shock while they all collectively took a step back. "Permission granted." She replied with pride in her voice before waving her hand at him. They all watched as his clothes were replaced by robes that held every shade of green ever invented and a few that hadn't been discovered yet. They marveled at how his wings came out of his back and suddenly there were three sets of black wings, but this time there was a strange sort of glitter in them. They then blinked in shock as a staff appeared in Crowley...no...Raphael's hand, and the staff, though beautiful in its appearance as it was a polished wood with twin twining snakes going from middle to top, they felt the obvious power coming from it. Now, it wasn't uncommon for either Occult or Ethereal beings to sense the power in a being's weapon, but what WAS uncommon at the moment, was...they couldn't quite place the power for what it was. It was...Ineffable somehow. However, the most notable difference wasn't the clothes or the mysterious staff. It was his eyes. They had black pupils, but the irises weren't normal by any means. His irises were shades of midnight blue and the darkest purple imaginable while they held hundreds of specks of light that one could only describe as the stars themselves.

"Crowley..." Aziraphale breathed out in awe. "...is this what you really looked like?"

"Well..." Raphael smiled. "...apart from my physical body and my hair, yeah."

"Are you ready, Raphael?"

"Yes, Lord. I'm ready." He looked behind him, giving them all a soft smile before turning to face her with a smirk. He then stepped closer to her, taking her hand, which quickly earned him more shocked gasps from behind him. "Are you?" He challenged, and though he couldn't see it, he knew that behind him, Aziraphale nearly fainted at the way he just spoke to God and how familiar he was being with her. "You know what I'm going to make. You know what I'm going to think should you accept it."

"I know very well, Raphael."

"And will you accept?" He asked. "I will make it, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it. You accepted it once, but then you made me fall. You know more than anyone that I never meant to fall."

"And you know why I did it. You know what you are and always have been." She stated with a singular tear running down her cheek. "You know I didn't want to."

"I didn't know what to think, to be perfectly honest. I was confused for...Oh wow...I don't know how many years. It wasn't until the Apocalypse when I was handed the Antichrist that I figured something didn't add up. It didn't make sense. I know you. You wouldn't have wanted that."

"How could you POSSIBLY know what GOD would want!? It was WRITTEN and then YOU ruined it!" Gabriel sneered.

"Gabriel!" God scolded. "It is not your turn to speak!"

"S-S-Sorry." Gabriel said as he shrank back to where he was.

"Raphael..." God started, but then another tear fell down her face.

Raphael smiled softly at her as he gently wiped the tear away from her face before gently kissing her lips. At that point Aziraphale really did faint, along with Gabriel, Michael, Sandalphon, and Dagon. "WHAT THE FUCK!?" Beelzebub shouted as they kissed.

Once the kiss was over, Raphael turned and smiled at them with a slight laugh. "Wake them up, Lord." She did as he asked, further throwing those who were conscious, into increasing shock and confusion.

"Wh-What just happened!?" Aziraphale shouted in pure disbelief and bewilderment. "Cr-Raphael! You kissed God!"

"Yes, I did." Raphael smiled.

"Raphael, your creation?" God asked as tears still threatened to fall from her face.

"Will you accept it?"

"Yes." She nodded her head.

"You know what it will do."

"Yes."

"You know that I won't abuse what it will do, but that I will still use it as well?"

"Yes. Now, create."

Raphael nodded and then flew up into the stars. He used his staff and summoned light, color, chemicals, metal, Fire, Water, Air, the element of Earth, and he summoned emotions in small balls of light such as joy, anger, sorrow, guilt, and love. After that, he summoned promises in the form of spheres of color such as, faithfulness, loyalty, trust, difficulty, humor, happiness, pain, wonder, and responsibility. They all watched as he used his staff, weaving the several different collection of elements, light, and color as if it were God Herself creating a new being. They were in awe of what they were watching. Then, right before their eyes, he condensed all of it into a sphere. "Permission to put it near the back of the universe?"

"Permission granted." Raphael nodded, and suddenly they were all near what was apparently the back of the universe. It...looked unfinished. It looked as if there was supposed to be a great many beautiful things here, but there weren't. Then, they all watched as Raphael lifted the sphere above him, only to tap it, and release a supernova of every color ever created and every color that God still hadn't quite allowed humans to know just yet. They watched the light spread with wisps of power that they all felt nearly crushed by, but by God's obvious grace and involvement, none of them were harmed. That fact alone was enough for everyone to give each other concerned and questioning looks. When they turned their gazes back to Raphael, they watched as the supernova swiftly turned into a Nebula that shined with an array of light, color, emotion, elements, and they saw that there was a galaxy within the Nebula with whole planets that had their own land, oceans, atmospheres, minerals, and some that didn't have land and some that didn't have water. Then, they all saw that something glinted with a brilliant shine. It was almost blinding until Raphael took hold of it in his hand. They then witnessed him change the shining thing in his hand into two rings. One was white the other was black, but both had twining etchings of emerald green and and gold going all the way around the rings.

He held out his hand to her, not paying attention the the dumbfounded expressions from the other angels and demons. "I know you said that you accept, and the conditions it creates, but I will ask again, because I want to make sure you understand..."

"How dare he talk to her like that!?" Sandalphon whisper shouted, but no one payed any attention to them.

"...that you know there is only one way you can COMPLETELY accept this. If you do not want me reverting back, you may say you don't accept."

"I think you've been a demon long enough, Raphael. Everyone here...will receive a reward and a punishment, depending on what takes place after this, but I knew very well ALL of the conditions and consequences that would befall both of us. I accept then, and I accept now." She took the white ring out of his hand, and Raphael took the black ring out of his hand. They then both placed their rings on the other's left ring finger. Once the rings were on, they both kissed again.

When they both turned to face the angels and demons. Raphael couldn't help but smile at their dropped jaws and wide eyes. "Everything okay?" He asked, knowing full well that it wasn't. He then waved a hand at his own outfit, turning it back into what he had on when he walked in, but he kept the staff.

"Raphael?"

"Aziraphale, you can still call me Crowley if it's more comfortable, but yes. I've um...been restored."

"R-Right, I have about a thousand questions." Aziraphale stuttered. "B-But, what I w-want to know is...can y-you please tell me what you did when you were in Heaven BEFORE your fall? Aside from being a healer and guardian angel."

"I was Archangel and Seraphim Raphael. I was the first Seraphim, but I was...a test run of sorts. We talked, she taught me how to create, we did away with my creations, putting them in a pocket dimension where they will sleep until the universe is ready for them, and somewhere along the way, I felt a more profound feeling than wanting to do as she asked. I felt...protective of her, despite knowing she could more than protect herself, I wanted her to be happy, warm, strong, and I never wanted her to know sadness. I had been created with the knowledge of all feelings and emotions and states of being as well as chemicals, elements, and other things. I...just hadn't known love yet. I came to her...talking to her about it, and she said I felt love. A more profound love than she had intended. I nodded my head in understanding at that, but I couldn't let it go. I loved her in a way no angel was supposed to. Me being the test run...I had some exceptions to the rules all of you know. I went into the nothing to try and figure out what to do with it, and I created. She found me in the middle of my first Nebula, and I caught a glowing sphere like the one you saw. Feeling like I should do something with it...I poured everything I felt for her into it, and it created these two rings. I didn't know how outrageous my next words sounded when I caught her staring...until she created all of the other angels, but I said them anyway, and she accepted."

"What did you say?" Beelzebub whispered in awe.

Raphael smiled at Beelzebub before letting out a soft chuckle. "I walked up to her and took the black ring and put it on her left ring finger without warning, but as carefully as I could, and I told her, 'I wish to keep you. I wish to protect you. I wish for you to be mine. I wish to be your most trusted ally. I wish to know you more than I do now. I wish to keep your spirits as positive as possible. However, above all, I wish to be your equal for eternity.' I merely said what my heart begged to say, and she accepted it. It wasn't until THOUSANDS of years later...after the fall and after humans came up with the concept of rings and marriage, that I realized she had definitely taken what I had done and whispered the idea of the act into some human's ears. They called it engagement, marriage, holy matrimony, a binding of two souls, and other names and phrases. It was then that I realized I had...inadvertently proposed to God, asking her to be my wife and I her husband, but SHE took it straight to husband and wife. Never engaged. We both wore our rings, and I helped her create the universe, planets, nebulae, galaxies, stars, and I offered my opinion on the creation of Earth and humans. Then...I tried to stop Lucifer when he was becoming a problem. I tried to tell him that he needed to calm down, that the questions and concerns he had would be answered in time like all things were with God. After that, I went to go ask her a few of my own questions that DIDN'T go against her or her plans, and the next thing I know, I lose my ring, and I'm falling into a pool of boiling sulfur."

"And I've accepted it again." God stated calmly. "He doesn't have as much power as me and won't ever have as much power as me, nor my knowledge of my plans, but he can create, and do many things he couldn't as a demon. He can use the powers he once had at his disposal."

"S-So..." Aziraphale started with a twitching grin. "...y-you're telling me my best friend...the best friend I've had for six thousand years...created and hung the stars, helped built the universe, and...my best friend is married...to you? God?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you, Aziraphale. Humans won't know that I WAS or AM married. It won't appear in the books. It will stay between both the Ethereal and Infernal planes. If you try and speak of it, you simply won't be able to unless you are talking to a demon or an angel."

"Are you happy for me, Aziraphale?" Raphael asked carefully.

"I am, Crowley."

"Ah, there's the name I missed." He grinned.

"But...I will say it's going to be strange...I mean...how do I address you, now that you're married to...to...to God of all beings?"

"Just as you always have." He looked up and around, letting out a calming breath. "I ask that NONE of you treat me differently than you have. Not even you, Hastur. If you WISH to treat me differently, fine, I cannot stop you, but don't call me Lord, God, or any higher power name, because I'm not higher. I'm still me, and I won't stop being me. No amount of power or position will change that."

"Does everyone understand?"

Everyone nodded, but then Beelzebub stepped forward and grabbed Crowley's hands. "Do you...Do you remember me?"

"Of course I remember you." He smiled. "I was there when you broke your wing in a sparring match against Gabriel. I mended it, and then I began to train you."

"I...the...the trial...you..." Beelzebub started with her own tears falling from her face.

Crowley hummed sympathetically as he brought his thumbs up to wipe them away. "Enough of that now. We have tests and questions to answer."

"Even you?" Beelzebub asked.

"Yes, even me. Even I have to answer to my wife." At that everyone laughed with honest amusement.

"Good!" God grinned. "Now, next and final question for everyone. You've all already passed your tests, even if you don't and won't know what they were. You may each ask me for something and I will give it without hesitation, but it must be an honest request. What you desire most. So...each of you come forward and...what is it you want from me most?"

Beelzebub practically ran forward. "Principality! I want to be a Principality again!"

Dagon stepped forward. "I want to be a Seraph again."

"YOU WERE A WHAT!?" Hastur and Beelzebub asked in pure shock.

"Yes, she was a Seraph." Crowley smirked. "She was like a sister to me before her fall. Sparring matches were brutal!" He laughed.

Hastur then stepped forward with his head bowed and his fingers interlocking with each other. "I...mine is...a sort of...two in one deal, is that all right?" His question silenced everyone int he room.

"Is it what is most honest and deep in your heart?"

"Yes. It is." He nodded.

"Then you may speak it."

He took in a deep breath before letting out a shaky one. "I want to be human." Everyone gasped, and finally, God was shocked, but she allowed him to continue. "I want to be human, I want to love, I want to do human things, understand human things, and I want...I've seen so many human families and a lot of them are happy and good...I want that. I want to find that for myself if you make me human. The um...second part is...once my human life is over, I wish to be a Cherub again, if that would be okay. If not...being a human is just fine with me."

"I won't ask you why, because I think I know the answer, but...I'm honestly shocked at your request. I will honor it fully. I will fill your mind with the knowledge you need, and if you need help in being human, Crowley and Aziraphale can help you."

"You know..." Crowley started. "...Hastur is the LAST demon I would peg for once being a Cherub."

"Like you, Raphael..." Hastur started with a tone of respect no one would've ever suspected from him. "...I was the first of my rank. It just wasn't as remarkable as the first ever angel, let alone a Seraph. I was the...test model. Then...she went on and made them softer. Your angel here was once a Cherub, too. He still is if I'm correct."

"Yes." God answered. "He is both Principality and Cherubim, just like Raphael is both Seraphim and Archangel."

"Uh-huh..." Crowley smirked. "...and um..." He clicked his tongue in a mischievous manner. "...when were you gonna tell me, your best friend, that you were a Cherub."

"Oh, I don't know..." Aziraphale smirked. "...I was thinking at the same moment you would tell me that you were once married to God."

"Hmm..." He chuckled warmly. "...fair enough, Aziraphale. Fair enough."

Gabriel stepped forward and gave a slight glance to Hastur, seemingly thinking about his own request. "I...I want to be stationed on Earth, and I want to know and understand human things. I...I know my knowledge is lacking, and I don't want it to lack any more. I want to understand what Aziraphale and Crowley were able to understand for six thousand years." Michael stepped forward with the same request.

Uriel stepped forward and smiled gently. "I want Heaven to be restored to the appearance it once had. The gardens, the clouds, the openness that was once everywhere. I don't want it to look like an office building anymore."

Sandalphon stepped forward nervously as he looked up at God. "Mine...might be a bit blasphemous, since it was you that put them there, but...I want any and all demons that TRULY repent and TRULY wish to do good that TRULY wish to be angels again...I want them to come back, but as freshly made fledglings. That way...they can't and won't remember the horrors they had gone through."

"That's..." Hastur started.

"...almost three million demons." Dagon finished with astonished eyes.

"So be it." Sandalphon stated. "I'll raise and train them myself if I have to and I...I'll try and learn more compassion. I know I lack it a great deal. Aziraphale and Crowley have shown me as such."

Aziraphale stepped forward, giving a wide and confident smile to Crowley, for reasons that Crowley didn't know. "Lord?"

"Yes?"

"Everything must end, correct?"

"That is true." God answered.

"Even Earth?"

"Yes. It will eventually end, too."

"Well, what I want...is that Earth DOESN'T end until all of the humans have the means to travel and live among the stars you and Raphael created. I want the humans to be out on different planets, living and adapting, and loving on other planets before the world ends. I want every last human gone from the planet or already deceased when it does end, or if Heaven and Hell will still have their war. I don't know what might happen, but all I ask is that the humans eventually require the means to travel and live on other planets, and once they're all gone from Earth...THEN you can destroy the planet." Everyone gasped in shock at his request while God's eyes widened in what looked like delight and pride.

Then, Crowley came forward bowing his head and kneeling once more. "My wife, my love...My Lord...all I ask is that Aziraphale and I be allowed to live our lives in peace. That we not be bothered by Heaven or Hell unless it's just to get together like friends or siblings. I...I know I may sound selfish, but I believe Aziraphale and I are entitled to peace from both sides. I want peace for us for eternity. He's my best friend, and he deserves more than he's been given. Peace is the least I can ask for."

God smiled at all of them, happy tears in her eyes as she nodded at them. "It shall ALL be so!" She snapped her fingers and there was a rush of blinding light and a warmth that filled everyone from top to bottom. Soon, they all found themselves changed in small ways, but they were all still in Heaven, but...Heaven didn't look pristine and clean anymore. It was more like a jungle with open air and clouds that would hold weight. Crowley nearly sobbed at the sight, but he kept it to himself. "I have honored all of your requests..." She said before looking to the newly restored Dagon and Beelzebub. They instantly looked at each others' wings, marveling at their beauty. "...however..." Everyone stopped and looked at God. "...these are your rewards. I did also say there would be punishments."

"What...will be our punishments?" Aziraphale asked nervously.

"Fortunately for you, Aziraphale...Crowley's request was honored and you will be granted peace, which means no punishment for either of you...for now."

"Oh...good." He smiled.

"Yes, now...Beelzebub?"

"Yes, Lord?" She smiled. "I'll take whatever punishment I must. I'm thankful to be a Principality again."

"Good. Yours and Gabriel's punishment is the same. You two are to be married. This way, you can both understand what love is, and how wrong the two of you had been to the Earth and to Aziraphale and Crowley."

"Marriage?" Gabriel scoffed out a laugh as he looked at Beelzebub, a fresh new glint shining in his eye that no one had ever seen before. "I don't see how it's a punishment, but sure. I accept."

"Same. I accept." Beelzebub grinned with the same glint in her eyes.

"Hastur..." God started. "...you will be human, and will eventually have your own family, so your punishment is awkwardness and clumsiness. It will be a punishment for you, but I'm sure someone will find it endearing."

"I accept." He nodded.

"Dagon, your punishment...is to be RE-trained by Raphael."

Immediately looking defeated, Dagon's new wings sagged as she groaned. "Fine...I accept."

"How is that a punishment?" Aziraphale asked with a furrowed brow.

"Because he's fucking brutal with training!" Beelzebub and Dagon shouted and groaned.

"They're correct." Crowley grinned wickedly. "I NEVER go easy on those I train, but it makes them strong."

"Michael, your punishment is the same as Sandalphon's. You and he are to raise and train the THREE MILLION fledglings together. I will assist and instruct you on their teachings, but that is your punishments. Finally, Uriel, your punishment is to take care of the gardens of Heaven. Don't worry, you'll have help, but it's a punishment for you, because I know how complex you thought Heaven was in its original form. This was your request, so your punishment is to take care of it with as much effort as you can."

"I gladly accept, My Lord."

"Good!" She snapped her fingers and another rush of light appeared.

When the light faded, Crowley and Aziraphale found themselves in the back room of the bookshop. "Oh my!" Aziraphale whispered out once he saw Crowley's eyes. "Crowley, your eyes..."

Crowley tilted his head with a furrowed brow before summoning a compact mirror. "Oh...my...wow...she...they look..."

"They look human, and quite beautiful if I might add. They're almost a honey brown."

"I can see that." He smiled before putting the mirror away. "Say...how do you feel about going to the Ritz? You know...to celebrate?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea...Raphael."

"Oh, you're not going to let that go, are you?" Crowley smirked as he miracled his staff into the Ethereal realm where his wings rested.

"Not bloody likely." Aziraphale scoffed.

Crowley gasped. "ANGEL! Language!"

"Crowley! You're married to God! I think I'm allowed to curse every now and then."

"Fair point. Again. Come on, let's go."

"With pleasure." He smirked.

It was the middle of December, a few months after the Apocanope, and Crowley was quite enjoying his life. Especially since it seemed now that all was truly right with the world in a way that he knew his wife would want.

**Author's Note:**

> WHOO! I haven't written on here in FOREVER! Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think about the highly unpopular ship. :3 Have a great rest of your day or evening :)


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